Detroit prosecutors: No decision on charges against Chelsa Wagner

Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner, right, and her husband Khari Losley talk Saturday, March 9, 2019, about what happened during an on Wednesday at a Detroit hotel that ended with Wagner in jail.

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Prosecutors in Wayne County, Mich., did not decide Monday as to whether charges will be filed against Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner in an altercation with police last week at a Detroit hotel.

Detroit police arrested Wagner, 42, early March 6 at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, authorities said.

Police video footage of the incident shows Wagner cursing and grabbing an officer’s forearm before she was arrested, according to a story published Monday by the Detroit News. The newspaper reported that it viewed footage from cameras worn by officers.

Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Maria Miller said her office is still reviewing the warrant request from Detroit police.

Chief James Craig, during a news conference that was streamed live on Facebook, said video footage of a confrontation indicates that Wagner and her husband, Khari Mosley, both exhibited “some levels of intoxication” when police responded to a report that Mosley was drunk and causing a disturbance.

Both have denied being intoxicated during the encounter with police.

Craig said Wagner placed her hands on an officer “six or seven times” before she was arrested. Wagner has said she was awakened by police, hotel security and her handcuffed husband after Mosley locked himself out of the hotel room and staff wouldn’t give him another key.

Wagner’s attorney, Heather Heidelbaugh, also is investigating the incident. Wagner said Saturday she doesn’t know how they will proceed until they know whether charges have been filed.

Wagner and her husband released a statement Monday afternoon reiterating their statements made to the Tribune-Review and other media outlets on Saturday.

“While our response is fully stated in those interviews, we want to reiterate that our rights were grossly violated as guests of the Westin Hotel and visitors to the city of Detroit,” they said in the statement. “We look forward to being fully vindicated on these matters.”

Wagner has released cell phone video to the Tribune-Review that she said contradicted accounts by the Detroit police.

According to the Detroit News story, officers went to the room after responding to a report that Mosley was causing a disturbance at the hotel bar. They found the door ajar and a giggling Wagner inside, according to the report.

Wagner allegedly cursed at police and told officers several times that she was the “highest-ranking elected official in my county.”

As police lead Mosley toward the elevator, Wagner partially blocked its entrance, according to the Detroit News report. An officer asked Wagner to move out of the way. Wagner reached out and grabbed the officer’s arm, the newspaper reported. The officer told Wagner that she put her hands on him and now she has to go to jail. Wagner replied, “Good,” according to the report.

As Wagner and the officer struggle, Wagner falls to the ground and can be heard screaming, “I just want to know the reason you just assaulted me. I want my attorney,” according to the report.

Staff reporter Bob Bauder contributed to this report.

Megan Guza is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Megan at 412-380-8519, mguza@tribweb.com or via Twitter .

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